The 155th running of the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday (Aug. 24), aka the “Midsummer Derby,” is considered the marquee race of the summer. A field of eight 3-year-olds was entered on Sunday. usracing.com is publishing profiles of the contenders.
2024 Travers Stakes Contenders: FIERCENESS
The Travers is not a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but for Mike Repole’s homebred Fierceness, it’s an “Either Win, or You’re Out” kind of deal.
As in out of the scramble for the top spot among this year’s 3-year-olds, out of the running for any shot at a Horse of the Year title, and out of horse racing’s collective consciousness as a top-flight athlete.
Fierceness. NYRA Photo.
It’s not that the son of City of Light has been erratic. If anything, he’s been extremely predictable. From Day 1, each eye-popping victory has been followed by an equally miserable performance. He earned a 102 Equibase Speed Figure for his dazzling 11 ½-length maiden win a year ago at the Spa, then was grudgingly awarded a 73 for his foot-dragging performance in the Champagne Stakes, in which he beat one horse – a 100-1 shot named Sweet Soddy J – in finishing 20 ½ lengths behind Timberlake.
So rattled were Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher they considered not entering him in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile but gave it a go anyway and were rewarded with a 6 ¼-length victory (at 16-1 odds), and subsequently, the 2023 Eclipse Award as the top 2-Year-Old Male.
Expectations were high when Fierceness made his 3-year-old debut as the 1-5 favorite in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream, only to finish third with an excuse – he was ping-ponged between Sea Streak and Domestic Product at the start, recovered to lead on the turn and tired in the final furlong. He more than redeemed himself in the Florida Derby with a 13 ½-length tour de force.
Pletcher’s Confidence in Fierceness Grows Ahead of Travers Stakes
At the Kentucky Derby, he went off as the 3-1 favorite. He was perfectly placed to make his presence known at the top of the stretch. But – and there’s always a but with Fierceness — when subsumed by a phalanx of late-runners turning for home, Fierceness did the old El Foldo and wound up 15th, 24 1/2 lengths behind Mystik Dan.
Too close to a fast pace? Stuck wide on both turns? Couldn’t overcome post No. 17?
After bypassing the Belmont Stakes and the Haskell Stakes, Repole and Pletcher focused on the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), the local prep for the Travers Stakes.
Fierceness did not rely on his sheer talent to simply blow away the competition but rated kindly off Pony Express to the half-mile pole, took command when prompted and displayed a heretofore untapped reservoir of grit and determination to hold off Sierra Leone by a length.
Although chary of bringing Fierceness back after just four weeks off, Pletcher has been heartened by the way last year’s juvenile champion has been prepping for the “Midsummer Derby.”
“He’s training as well as we could have hoped since the Jim Dandy,” Pletcher said Aug. 17 after Fierceness had his second breeze, covering a half-mile in 48.22, galloping out in 1:00.7 and up in 1:14. “Hopefully, we’ll have another good week.”
2024 Travers Stakes Odds, Post Positions and Predictions: Fierceness
Betting advice: Outside post could keep him out of trouble, but a good race (Jim Dandy win) is usually followed by a clunker. Can he break the pattern? Tough call.
Post position: 8
Odds: 3-1
Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: Repole Stable
Career record: 7-4-0-1
Career earnings: $1,978,850
Last race: Jim Dandy Stakes (1st)
Top Equibase speed figure: 110
Pedigree: City of Light-Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty
Color: Bay
Running style: On or close to the pace
Notes: Pletcher and Velazquez teamed to win the 2005 Travers with Flower Alley. Velazquez also took the 2019 edition with Code of Honor and Pletcher won in 2011 with Stay Thirsty … Stay Thirsty (Fierceness’s maternal grandsire) was Repole’s only other Travers entrant, winning the race after taking the Jim Dandy … Repole, not one to shy away from speaking his mind, said: “Fierceness will be the fastest and most talented horse in the Travers. We will win or finish fifth.”
2024 Travers Stakes Odds
| 1 | Thorpedo Anna | 3-1 | Brian Hernandez | Kenny McPeek |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 7-2 | Flavien Prat | Chad Brown. |
| 3 | Unmatched Wisdom | 8-1 | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | Chad Brown |
| 4 | Corporate Power | 15-1 | Javier Castellano | Shug McGaughey |
| 5 | Batten Down | 20-1 | Junior Alvarado | Bill Mott |
| 6 | Honor Marie | 20-1 | Tyler Gaffalione | Whit Beckman |
| 7 | Dornoch | 5-2 | Luis Saez | Danny Gargan |
| 8 | Fierceness | 3-1 | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher |